Not Yet Dead
by ScouttNZ
Summary: An OC's story of survival and loss during the apocalypse. Eventual meet up with Rick's group. Rated M for language, violence and future adult content.
1. Chapter 1

**Part One**

Skye Williams sipped her orange juice and frowned at the television screen. The new epidemic seemed to be getting worse, with cases now confirmed in all the major cities, and many smaller ones as well. Even more disturbing were the scattered reports of cannibalism, mass hysteria and the shooting of unarmed people by the police.

The same messages kept being repeated over and over; stay inside, don't panic, and call 911 if someone becomes sick. Skye rubbed a hand over her face and sighed, wondering how long it would be until they found a cure and things could get back to normal.

She made her way into the kitchen and put the empty glass in the sink. It was lunch time, so she opened the refrigerator and found ingredients for a BLT, adding mayo to her grocery list when she noticed it was almost empty.

Skye had just finished cleaning up afterwards when the phone rang loud and shrill, making her jump. She hurried over and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Skye! Listen to me. You needa get outta town until all this shitstorm clears, ya hear me? It's gonna get much worse before it gets better an' it's dangerous to be around too many people now. Get yer stuff and get out while ya can."

"Hi Dad, nice to hear from you," Skye said with a hint of sarcasm. "It's not even my birthday!"

"I'm serious, Skye! Ya need to go, today." Kane Williams sighed loudly. "Look, I know I ain't ever been a great dad, especially since yer mother died, but I've always cared about ya. If I was ever too hard on ya, it was only because I wanted to make sure yer strong enough to handle whatever shit the world threw at ya. And y'are strong, Skye. I know you can survive this. I love ya, kid, and I'm so proud of ya." His voice broke a little at the end.

Skye was stunned. She couldn't remember the last time her father had said he loved her, and in 26 years he'd never told her he was proud of her. It was this, more than anything, that convinced her something was seriously wrong.

"Dad? Are you OK?" Skye asked, fighting back the impending tears.

"Yeah, I'm OK, Skye. Things are just getting a bit crazy out there. Some nut job attacked me in town today. Crazy fucker done bit my arm, of all things! I shoved him off and he followed me back to the car. Didn't say a word, just growled at me like some deranged… animal. I called the cops on the way home, told them there was a nutter on the loose."

"He bit you? What the hell! You should go see the doc, make sure everything's alright."

"Nah, barely even broke the skin. Put some ointment on it and wrapped it just in case," Kane reassured her.

"Maybe I should come visit you for a few days, give you a hand on the farm," Skye suggested. "Just until this pandemic is over and things quiet down again."

"They've grounded most flights, and it's too far to drive, 'specially when there's rioting and stuff going on. They'll declare martial law any day now," Kane sighed again. "I don't want ya to risk it."

Skye slid her back down the wall until she was in a sitting position. "Well, I'll come see you after all this is cleared up then."

"I'd like that, Skye. It's been too long since I seen ya last." There was a pause, then her father continued in a more serious tone. "I gotta go get the cows in now, but remember what I said 'bout getting out of town. Maybe hire a cabin in the woods with yer friends 'til it's over. Take plenty of supplies so ya don't have ta leave. Please."

"I'll think about it. Can't really afford the time off work at the moment, and I haven't heard of any pandemic cases near here, but I'll get some stuff packed today anyways, just in case it gets worse."

Kane wasn't pleased but didn't try to force the issue. "Take care of yourself, hey?"

"I will. You too. I'll talk to you soon."

"Goodbye, Skye."

"Bye, Dad." Skye stared at the phone for a full minute after hanging up, lost in thought.

Grabbing a pen and paper, she began making a list of all the essentials in case she had to leave. It came easier to her than most. For as long as she could remember, her father had been a doomsday prepper, and had drilled her regularly as to what to do in various survival situations. Skye had thought he was crazy, but she had to admit it did come in handy at times.

Once she was satisfied with the list, she began searching the house and laying out the collected gear on the table. She systematically went room to room, checking off items as she found them. She decided to head into town to get more food, and some plastic containers to transport everything.

Skye was just grabbing her keys when the phone rang again.

"Hi Skye, can I come hang out for a bit?" Hannah, her best friend, was sounding shaken.

"I was just heading into town to grab a few things, why don't I swing by and pick you up? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I just… Something happened at the hospital today and it freaked me out a bit. I'll tell you when you get here."

"You at home?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, I'm leaving now. See you in 5."

Hannah was waiting on the curb, arms wrapped around herself, when Skye pulled up. She climbed into the passenger seat and let out a deep breath. Then she looked over and gave a small smile. "Thanks, Skye. Jenny and Suzanne are away for the weekend and I didn't want to sit in an empty apartment after today."

"What happened?" Skye asked, taking her eyes off the road for a moment to glance at her friend.

"We had a guy come in in really bad shape after a motorcycle accident. He flatlined while we were operating but Pete got the defibrillator and bought him back and then he just woke up all of a sudden and attacked Vi. He bit a fucking chunk off her face! It was… God, it was… it was the scariest thing I've ever seen! We were trying to pull him off her but he wouldn't let her go and Vi was screaming and…" Hannah was white and shaking as she spoke. "We got him off her but he lunged at Diane and bit her arm as she tried to fend him off. So Pete grabbed the fire extinguisher and hit him on the head and... it killed him. His head - it just caved in like… like a watermelon or something. It was awful." She buried her face in her hands as she finished speaking.

"My god! That sounds like a bloody horror film or something!" Skye exclaimed. She pulled into an empty park and switched the engine off, turning to Hannah. "I'm glad you're ok. Do you want to stay at mine tonight?"

"Yes, please."

"Do you want to go straight there? I can shop tomorrow."

"No, no it's ok. I'm fine, let's just go in and get whatever it is and I might grab some vodka or something. I could use a drink."

They walked in together, quickly selecting their purchases. Skye wandered the aisles, looking for anything she might have forgotten to put on the list and adding powdered milk and a tub of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food to the cart.

They paid at the counter and hauled the goods out to the car. As they were loading everything into the trunk, a homeless man began shuffling towards them. Hannah saw him first.

"Skye, that guy is coming straight at us. I'm getting a real weird vibe," she murmured.

Skye glanced up, and also got a strange feeling looking at the man. She put the last bag in the car and closed the trunk. "Get in the car, lock the doors. I'll return the cart and be right back."

Hannah nodded and Skye hurried to do as she said, jogging on her way back when she saw the man was now at the passenger door.

"Hey! Back off, man!" she yelled at him when she got to her door. He let out a strange growling noise and started to move around the car to her. Thoroughly freaked now, she unlocked the door and jumped in, locking it again behind her.

Hannah was shaking again, and as Skye went to put the key in the ignition she noticed her own hands weren't very steady either. She got the car started and was putting it into reverse when the man reached her door and scratched at the glass, leaving a bloody smear.

Hannah whimpered and Skye accelerated backwards out of the park, not even checking for other cars - thankfully there were none coming - and sped off.

"What the hell is wrong with people at the moment?" she asked, not expecting an answer.

Hannah shook her head and shrugged, a little calmer now that they were moving again. "I dunno, but I hope that's the end of it. Pretty random that two freaky things happened in one day though." She shuddered. "They gave me this week off Uni to 'get over the shock.' I'm thinking I might go away for a few days, maybe to mom's."

"Might not be a bad idea," Skye agreed, keeping her eyes on the road. She debated mentioning the call from her dad, then decided Hannah had had enough for one day; she didn't want to worry her further. They drove the rest of the way in silence.

Mark's silver F-150 was parked outside her house when they pulled in the drive and Skye spotted him sitting on the porch, along with Alex, Catrina, Megan and Nick.

"I forgot it was movie night tonight," Skye sighed, not really in the mood anymore. She looked at Hannah. "I can send them all home if you want."

"I forgot, too." Her friend hesitated a moment. "No, it'd be good to do something normal after today."

"Alrighty then."

They climbed out of the car, grabbed a couple of bags from the back, and went to greet their friends.

"Hey guys, been waiting long?"

"Yeah, like an hour," Mark leapt off the railing and winked at her.

Catrina rolled her eyes at him. "Nah, we just got here a few minutes ago."

"Shush you!" Mark gave her a gentle shove. "I was trying to guilt her into sharing that ice cream."

Skye glanced down at the bags. "Not gonna happen. But if you help me get the rest of the stuff from the car I'll whip up some brownies."

"Deal!" Mark gave one last longing look at the ice cream and then they all wandered over to the car to unload.

Skye unlocked the front door and everyone trooped down to deposit the items on the kitchen counter.

"What's going on here?" Mark asked, noticing the pile supplies on the table.

Skye almost brushed it off and said she was planning a camping trip, but then decided on the truth. "My dad called today. He reckons things are about to get real bad and that I should get out of town until it settles. I thought it wouldn't hurt to get things ready just in case I do need to leave in a hurry."

Hannah looked at her sharply, surprise and a moment of hurt on her face. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

Skye sighed. "I thought about it, but decided you'd been through enough today. I was gonna tell you tomorrow, I swear."

Hannah stared at her, then nodded.

Mark and the others were looking between them in confusion.

"What happened today?" Megan asked.

Skye told them everything, watching the confusion get replaced with shock as she told of her dad getting attacked and then horror as she related Hannah's experience at the hospital, and finally concern as she described the actions of the homeless man in the parking lot.

Nick let a low whistle. "That's quite a fucked up day!"

"Pizza's on us tonight," Catrina added. "You guys take it easy, we got it from here." She smiled reassuringly.

"Thanks guys, I'm OK now," Skye told them. "I'll get started on those brownies."

"Luke will be here any minute, he was picking up Danni and Felix and stopping to get the beer," Nick announced, helping himself to a coke from the fridge.

"I'll go set up the seats. Nick, Mark, come give a hand," Megan called over her shoulder as she disappeared into the lounge.

Catrina dialled for pizza while Hannah poured herself a vodka soda. "Want one?" She offered the two girls. Catrina shook her head.

"I wouldn't mind a drink," Skye nodded as she mixed the gooey batter, adding in extra chunks of chocolate.

Hannah poured another glass and put it next to her.

"Is that a bow?" Mark asked as he re-entered the kitchen, poking through her supplies.

"Yep."

"Can you shoot it?"

"Like Robin Hood," Skye smirked at his surprised expression. "Dad used to take me hunting."

"You've said before, I just assumed you meant with a gun."

"Well, we used guns sometimes, but mostly we used bows. I prefered it. Used to pretend I was a warrior princess," Skye chuckled at the memory. Mark smiled too, and swiped his finger through the brownie mix as she poured it into a pan.

He sucked it off his finger. "Yum!"

"Hey! Keep ya grubby paws out!" She smacked him playfully. He laughed and disappeared back into the lounge.

The rest of the night passed in a haze of pleasant chatter and laughter. Luke and the other two girls soon showed up, bringing along Danni's younger twin sisters, Mikaela and Sophie, who were visiting for the weekend. The pizza followed shortly after, and they all settled in to watch a comedy, feeling the need to lighten the mood.

As the night was drawing to an end, Skye looked around at everyone, squished into her small lounge with its one couch, the mattress commandeered from the spare room and various chairs and cushions borrowed from around the house. She smiled, glad to be surrounded by such good friends.

It was the last time they would all be together. Because the next day, all hell broke loose.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part Two**

Skye woke early, needing to use the bathroom. Hannah, still asleep next to her, stirred slightly as she got up.

Skye did her business and turned on the shower. The steaming water relaxed her, and she lingered longer than usual just enjoying the pressure on her shoulders and back. She finally got out and towelled off, blowdried her hair and wrapped herself in a fluffy blue robe to go back to the bedroom.

Selecting a light pair of skinny jeans, a green tank top and clean underwear, she dressed and brushed out her long auburn hair, tying it up in a high ponytail and tucking the loose strands behind her ears.

Hannah muttered something incomprehensible in her sleep, and Skye left her to it as she descended the stairs in search of breakfast.

By the time Hannah stumbled bleary-eyed into the kitchen, Skye had made buttermilk waffles with a side of crispy bacon. She handed Hannah a plate, topped with maple syrup and ice cream. "Want a cup of tea?" she asked.

Hannah pulled a face. "No thanks. I don't know how you can start the day without coffee," she shook her head as she busied herself with the food. "Mmmm...this is why I love you!" she sighed around a mouthful of waffle and bacon.

"I thought it was because of my winning personality and razor sharp wit," Skye teased, making the desired cup of coffee. She pushed it towards her grateful friend, who took a large gulp and visibly relaxed.

"Nope, I'm just here for the food," she shot back.

Skye stuck out her tongue at her. "Oh well, cupboard love is still love."

They finished their breakfast and cleaned the kitchen, then Hannah headed up to have a shower. "I'm borrowing some clothes," she called over her shoulder.

"Go for it," Skye replied, opening her laptop and checking her emails.

There was nothing new aside from some junk mail promising to enlarge her penis, so she busied herself organising the supplies into the plastic storage bins she'd bought the day before. She also packed a hiking pack full of essentials, just in case she needed to travel light for whatever reason. She was stashing the bins in the downstairs bedroom when Hannah returned.

"What're your plans for the day?" Hannah asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Nothing much, I have about an hour of paperwork to do before work tomorrow, and then I was gonna replace the broken step out the back, and mow the grass. If you want to stick around, I should be done by 10 or so."

"Yeah, I got no plans. Well, now that I don't have clinic." Her face clouded for a moment as she thought of yesterday. "I'll do the lawns, it'll give me something to do and then you can finish earlier."

Skye was nearly finished her paperwork when she heard three shots fired one after the other. Her laptop dropped to the floor as she raced to the window.

Across the street, one of her neighbours -she didn't know his name - was standing in his yard, pistol raised and aiming at Mrs. McCoy from next door. The older woman was lurching awkwardly towards him, leaving a trail of blood on the pavement.

"Oh my God!" Skye gasped, as Hannah rushed into the room. "Call 911, now!"

Another shot rang out and Skye saw Mrs. McCoy stagger as it hit her in the chest, but she didn't stop coming.

Skye rushed outside, leaping down the stairs and moving to her neighbour's aid, headless of the danger. "What the hell are you doing?" she yelled. "Put the gun down, asshole - the police are on their way!" She realized straight after she said it that confronting and insulting an armed man was probably a stupid thing to do, but it was too late to take it back.

"She's one of _them_!" he said, never taking his gun away from the approaching woman. His grip was tight and his face pale and sweaty. "Keep away from her!"

"She's an old lady!" Skye countered, putting a hand on her neighbour's shoulder. "Are you-" she let out a yelp and scrambled backwards as Mrs. McCoy turned to her and growled, snapping her teeth inches from Skye's cheek. Her eyes were clouded and vacant, and blood coated the lower part of her face as though she'd dunked it in a vat of gore.

"Holy shit!"

The man with the gun fired again, missing the mark as what had once been a quiet, bookish old lady lunged after Skye, snarling and snapping. Skye grabbed her by both wrists and tried to hold her back, but the creature was stronger than her frail frame suggested. Skye found herself stumbling backwards off the curb and failed to rebalance, landing on her back and knocking her head hard. Somehow she'd managed to keep her grip on Mrs. M's wrists, pulling her down on top. Skye tried to push her away, getting desperate as her former friend's teeth gnashed inches from her face. She barely even noticed as the guy with the pistol walked up beside them until he shot a round through Mrs. M's temple and she finally collapsed, dead.

"Are you bit? Scratched?" The man asked.

"N-no, just bruised I think." Sky rolled the corpse off herself and sat up, ears ringing from the close range gunshot.

The man scanned her for signs of injury, then finally lowered the gun and offered her a hand up.

"What was wrong with her? Why did she attack like that?" Skye wondered, still shaken by the experience.

"I don't know what it is, but if you get bit, you turn into one of them. I've seen it happen twice now. Three times," he nodded at the body at their feet.

"Bit?" Skye repeated, the wheels turning in her mind.

"Yeah. If they're infected they'll try to bite you. Don't let 'em get too close. They're not human anymore. They're... something else."

A shiver ran down her spine at his words.

A silver pick up turned into the street and pulled up outside Skye's house.

Megan jumped out and raced over to Skye, Mark and Alex following behind her. "Skye! There's a riot in town and- oh my god! Is that a dead body!" The three friends stopped and stared at the body lying there in the street.

"Wait, a riot? Why?" Skye asked.

"I don't know what started it, but the police were shooting unarmed people in the streets and there was this guy walking around with half his face torn off and **why is there a dead body**?!" Megan demanded. Her eyes widened when she saw the gun in the man's hand and she stepped back.

"What's going on, Skye?" Mark asked, looking between her and the neighbour.

Hannah joined them then. "I couldn't get through to 911…" she let out a gasp as she came into view of the body, and rushed forward to see if she could provide first aid. Skye stopped her and shook her head. Hannah stared at her in shock and confusion.

"I think everyone better come inside," Skye sighed. "There's a lot going on."

Her friends all looked at her as though she'd grown another head, but turned around and went into the house.

Skye turned to the neighbour, but he was already walking back into his house. "What about the body?" she called after him.

"I'll deal with it," he replied over his shoulder.

Skye hesitated, but then sighed again and followed her friends.

"What on earth is going on, Skye?" Mark rounded on her once they were inside. "Did that man kill that old lady?"

"Well, yes. But she was crazy… she tried to bite me."

"She tried to bite you, so he killed her?" Alex asked incredulously.

"It wasn't like that. Something was seriously wrong with her! Her eyes were… dead! And there was blood all around her mouth like she'd bitten a chunk out of something - or someone." Which Skye realized may have actually happened if the guy across the street was right. "Something's not right. Listen, first we hear about this pandemic in the media, but they're pretty damn vague as to what it is. Then, my dad tells me someone attacked him and bit him at random. Then another guy bites two nurses in front of Hannah. The creepy homeless man last night. Now Mrs. McCoy is - was - trying to bite me. What if it's all connected? Like, that's the pandemic?"

"A pandemic of… biting?" Alex sounded doubtful.

"The guy across the street said he'd seen a couple of people get bit, and then they turned into the creatures themselves. He says they're no longer human, and after what just happened I might believe it."

"Could be a strain of rabies," Hannah speculated. "Though it doesn't usually manifest so quickly."

"Whatever it is, it's spreading fast."

There was a moment of silence.

"So, what now?" Megan asked.

"Tell me about the riot," Skye absently rubbed a hand over her shoulder, feeling rather bruised from the fall. "I'd like to make sure all the cards are on the table before coming to any decisions."

It was Mark who answered. "We were heading in to grab a milkshake at that new joint on Main Street. There was a crowd and a lot of commotion a bit further along but we couldn't see what it was about, then people started screaming and we heard gunshots and we saw several police officers just shooting people in the crowd. They weren't armed or anything!" He shook his head. "It was real freaky. I saw one guy take almost a full clip in the chest and he barely staggered, just kept walking towards the cops. I lost sight of him after that, people were running in every direction and then a group of students started smashing shop windows and throwing rocks and we just got out of there."

"That's when I saw the guy with his face torn," Megan chimed in. "It was so shredded you could see his teeth through his cheek!" She looked sick at the memory. "I only saw him for a moment before I lost him in the crowd, and these two didn't see him at all," she motioned to Mark and Alex. "I wish I hadn't."

"I'm starting to think my dad was right. Maybe it is going to get worse before it gets better. Perhaps it's not a bad idea to leave town for a couple of weeks until all this calms down."

"Where would you go?" Alex asked.

"I don't know. Probably just take my tent and set up in the woods somewhere, I guess. Do some hunting, fishing. Read a book."

"Well you can count me in," Mark said firmly. "I don't think you should be out there on your own. Work has dried up at the moment anyway. Plus, you seem to be the most prepared of all of us, makes sense to stick with the one who knows what they're doing."

"I'm coming too," Megan chimed in. She smiled, though the worry never left her eyes. "We haven't done a group camping trip yet this year."

"I'll bring the marshmallows," Alex volunteered.

Hannah punched him lightly in the arm. "No, I'll bring them. You ate them all on the way out last time."

Skye looked around at her friends. "So we're all going then?"

They nodded, shuffling their feet.

"As you say, it's getting a bit scary around here right now," Megan shrugged. "I'll call Danni and the others, see if they want to come too."

"Ok. I want to leave today, not too late so that there's plenty of daylight to set up. How long do you guys need to pack?"

"An hour should do it," Alex replied. The girls looked doubtful, but nodded.

Skye checked her watch. "Alright, it's almost 11 now, let's meet at your flat at 1," she nodded at Megan, Mark and Alex. "That gives you two hours to get sorted. I'm pretty much good to go now, so I'll call the others. Bring a tent, bedding, spare clothes - including at least one warm set - and as much food as you can. Stuff that won't go off quickly. You'll need plates and cutlery, bottled water… I've got cooking gear. And weapons if you have them. Just in case."

Hannah looked alarmed at the last item, but didn't protest.

Everyone dispersed to get ready. Skye called the rest of the group and extended the invitation, which only Catrina accepted. Danni was driving her sisters back to Washington this evening, as the bus had been cancelled. Felix wanted to stay with his family, and Nick had decided to return home to Tennessee. Skye wished them all good luck and promised to call when she returned home in a few weeks.

Skye then tried to call her boss but it kept going straight to voicemail. She eventually just left a message, saying she was going away because of the outbreak, and if she didn't have a job when she got back she understood.

Once all the calls were made, she snatched up a few last minute items and packed all the gear into her car before doing a final sweep of the house, locking windows and turning of the power and water at the mains. A sudden fear of looters struck her and she grabbed her jewellery box from the nightstand. Most of it was junk, but there were a few pieces passed down from her mother and grandmother that she'd hate to lose. She rifled through until she found the important pieces and put them in her purse, leaving the rest on the dresser.

Now the time had come to leave, Skye found herself hesitating, looking around at the little house she'd scraped to purchase eighteen months before. She'd got it cheap because it had needed some major renovations, but having grown up on a homestead she was no stranger to hard work or power tools. She spent most of her evenings and weekends rebuilding, painting and repairing, converting the worn out old house into a warm and cozy home. And now, it was almost complete.

Finally she sighed, locked the door and climbed into her car. A glance across the street showed that the body of Mrs McCoy had been removed and only a pool of dark blood remained. Skye shuddered and reversed out the driveway.

She picked up Hannah first, helping her friend load the bags into the trunk. Catrina was their next stop. She was waiting by the curb next to a mountain of bags, with Danni and the twins to keep her company.

"Jeez, woman! Got enough stuff?" Skye asked. "How are we gonna fit all that in the car?"

Catrina looked sheepish. "I know, I just didn't know how long we'd be gone and stuff. I'll put the most important bits in first and then see if we can fit the rest."

Skye rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Ok then, I'll give you a hand."

The five women managed to get everything in, after putting the last bag and a guitar in the back seat.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye. For now," Skye pulled Danni into a hug. "Take care of yourself, huh? And your sisters."

Skye stepped back to let the others say their farewells. Movement caught her eye, and she saw a figure stumble around the side of the building. Blood coated his right side, and he growled as he staggered towards the group.

"Guys, we gotta go. _Now._ " Skye urged, already moving towards the driver's door. "Danni, Mikki, Sophie, get back in the flat and lock the door."

The others noticed the man then. "He needs help!" Catrina called, running forward to meet him.

"Catrina! No!" Skye yelled, but it was too late. The infected man grabbed her and bit into her throat, cutting off her terrified shriek.

Skye was only dimly aware of the others screaming as she ran to help her friend. She yanked the man back with such force that he fell, cracking his skull on the low brick wall that edged the meager front garden. He didn't move again.

Skye desperately tried to stop the bleeding with her hands, but she knew it was hopeless. Catrina was gone. Hannah knelt beside her to check for a pulse, then shook her head.

"No! No, no, no, no!" Skye wailed, tears forming in her eyes. She couldn't believe that her friend was gone, just like that.

A low growl alerted her to a second infected coming around the corner. And a third. Then another four.

"Shit. We gotta go," Skye stood and brushed the back of her hand against her eyes.

"We can't just leave her here!" Hannah protested, beginning to drag Catrina's body back towards the car. "Help me!"

Skye grabbed Catrina's ankles and together they half ran, half stumbled the few yards to the car, unceremoniously dumping the body in the backseat.

"We're coming too!" Danni called, hurrying forward with her sisters in tow. "We're not staying here after that… monster…"

"Jump in!" Skye leapt into the driver's seat and started the engine, waiting only until everyone was in before speeding away.

"We should take her to the hospital," Hannah suggested.

"Why, she's already dead," Skye retorted, sharper than she meant to.

"They'll know what to do with her body, for starters," reasoned Hannah. "And if it's true that you get infected by being bit, she might have been infected too so perhaps they'll be able to run some tests... it might help them come up with a cure."

"Ok, I guess that makes sense."

They drove the two blocks in silence, aside from the odd muffled sob or whimper, only to find that the hospital was the worst possible place for them to have gone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part Three**

The scene that greeted them at the hospital was one of carnage and chaos. Bodies were everywhere; some covered in white sheets stained with red, others mangled and torn lying on the pavement. An ambulance had crashed into the side of the building, smoke pouring from the engine. Three police cars were parked haphazardly with lights flashing, but the only cop in sight was dead on the ground, his officer's uniform ripped open and large chunks of his torso torn out. Gunshots sounded from somewhere inside the building. The infected were everywhere; feasting on corpses, scratching at the doors, or wandering seemingly aimlessly.

Skye stared frozen in horror and shock, unable to comprehend how quickly everything was descending into madness.

An infected in a surgical gown and mask banged into the car, growling and smearing blood on the window as he tried to reach the prey inside. The young twins screamed in terror.

"Let's get out of here!" Danni yelled. "Skye!"

Snapping out of her stupor, Skye threw the car into reverse and accelerated backwards, running over another infected that had been attracted to the vehicle.

"What do we do now?" Mikaela whimpered.

"We go get the others and we get the fuck outta town," Skye replied, trying to take control of her fear.

"I'm gonna be sick!" Sophie whimpered, covering her mouth with her hand.

"I'm not stopping 'til we get there. Hannah, grab a plastic bag from the glove compartment!" Skye instructed.

Hannah quickly did as she was asked, and sure enough Sophie began throwing up moments after she was handed the bag, which thankfully contained the mess.

"Gross!" Mikaela complained, wrinkling her nose at her twin.

The drive across town revealed a new landscape, familiar and yet alien. Once busy streets were now devoid of life, unless you counted the clumps of infected loitering until they noticed the car. Shop windows were smashed, and looted goods were scattered on the pavement. Occasionally they would see another car, loaded to the brim and headed for the main highway, but aside from these brief encounters there were no living beings to be seen.

"We came this way yesterday, and everything was normal!" Hannah cried in disbelief. "How could everything get this bad so fast?"

No one had an answer to that, so they continued in silence, looking out at the new world.

They reached the flat without further incident, and saw that Mark's pickup now had a canopy over the bed. The truck was loaded, along with Luke's car, but Mark and the others weren't waiting outside. Two doors down, a couple were loading their car, getting ready to get out of town. They glanced nervously at Skye and her friends as they pulled into the lot.

Skye parked the car and switched it off. She turned to face the girls in the back, noting how awkwardly Danni was twisted around the backpack and guitar. Sophie was sitting half on her lap and half on Mikaela, who was pressed up against Catrina. "Wait here guys, I'll go make sure they're ready."

"Nuh uh, I don't want to sit out here all exposed. Especially with Catrina's dead body all squished up against me!" Mikaela protested.

"All going well, we should be leaving here in less than five minutes," Skye opened her door to get out. "Get out if you must, but don't wander off. I'll go see if the others have a sheet we can wrap her in."

Skye climbed out and closed the door, noticing the twins both getting out on the other side. She went and knocked on the apartment door. It opened a moment later to reveal Luke, dressed in cargo pants, a white tee shirt and hiking boots, a slice of pizza in his hand.

"Whoa! What the hell happened to you? Where'd all that blood come from?" he asked.

"It's not mine. Where are the others?"

"In the lounge, just finishing off the leftover pizza. Are you sure you're okay?" he moved out of the way so she could come in, then left the door open and followed behind her.

She walked down the short hall to the lounge, where she was greeted by exclamations of shock at her appearance. She held up a hand and shook her head to stop the questions before they could be asked. "Catrina's dead. She was bitten and bled out before we could stop it. The hospital is overrun; town is smashed and empty. Time to get out of dodge," she stated bluntly. "I'm going to wash up, can one of you find a sheet or something to wrap Catrina in?"

Before they could form a reply, she turned and left the room, heading for the bathroom where she got the first real look at herself in the mirror. The palms of her hands were red with flaky dried blood, dried rivulets ran along her forearms to her elbows, and drips had soaked into her light blue jeans. Her chest was soaked with blood, which must have happened as she was lifting Catrina into the car. There was a smear from her nose and along one cheek where she'd wiped her eyes. All in all, she was a frightful mess. Tears threatened as she began to scrub the gore off herself, but she angrily fought them down.

A knock at the open door startled her, and she looked up at the mirror to see Mark in the reflection.

"Are you ok?" he asked gently, concern in his grey eyes.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "Not really," she shrugged. "But with the world going to hell in a handbasket, I gotta hold my shit together a bit longer." Seeing his expression in the mirror, she turned to face him. "I'm fine, or I will be. It's just been a bitch of a day."

Mark nodded. "Megan gave me one of her shirts to give to you," he tossed her a black tee shirt with the Metallica logo on it, which she caught gratefully.

"Thanks."

"I've got a sheet for Catrina, I'll go see to her now," Mark gave her one last searching gaze, then shut the door as he left.

She quickly changed her shirt, washed the bloody one as best she could in the sink, then headed out to find her friends.

They were waiting outside, talking in low voices. Everyone looked up as she approached.

"We've worked out traveling arrangements," Alex announced. "Mark and Megan will ride in his truck, Luke will take Danni and the twins, and I'm with you and Hannah. And Catrina."

Mark stepped forward. "We thought it best to have a guy in each vehicle as muscle, just in case something goes wrong."

Skye felt like protesting that she could look after herself and Hannah, but decided she was too drained to argue. She nodded. "Alright then. Are we ready to go?"

"Yep, just gotta lock up," Mark hurried off to do just that.

As they got into the cars, Skye registered that the couple two doors down had left. She silently wished them luck.

Mark returned and started his truck, waving at her to go first.

Skye lead the convoy west, towards the Appalachians. Avoiding the main highway after seeing how the traffic was backed up and not moving, she took them on the back roads. Twice they came upon car accidents, and both times they stopped to check for survivors. One crash site was empty of people, alive or dead; the other had a single infected trapped behind the wheel of one car and two dead in the other. Unable to do anything, the group drove on.

Despite the delays, they made it to Shenandoah National Park in under an hour. Skye turned onto a narrow road, following a river. After a while, a small clearing appeared in the trees. Skye decided it would do, and pulled in, the other two right behind her.

The soothing sounds of water over rocks, birdsong, and the leaves in the gentle summer breeze washed over her the moment she got out of the car. For a moment she just stopped and listened, taking deep breaths of clean forest air.

"We'll set up here," Skye announced when the others joined her. "Tents first, then we'll need some firewood, and we need to dig a grave."

The group nodded somberly.

"I'll do the digging," Mark volunteered, easily the strongest of the nine. Years of playing football as a fullback, and more recently working in construction, had given him an enviable build.

"I'll help you," Skye told him, wanting some physical exertion to work through her thoughts. "Hannah, Megan, Danni, Mikaela and Sophie, I'll get you five collecting wood - don't go out of sight of each other or the camp. Alex and Luke, you two can dig the toilet, behind that tree there," she pointed out a trunk large enough to hide behind.

There were a few muttered grumbles which Skye chose to ignore, but everyone began unloading the cars and setting up camp.

Once the tents were up with the personal belongings stashed in them, the group dispersed to do their respective tasks.

Skye was concentrating on digging when she heard Sophie scream and drop the branches she'd been carrying. "She's alive!" Skye heard the teenager yell, and saw her race to open the door to the car. Her car, she noted.

 _Catrina_! Skye thought, a wild hope blossoming suddenly in her chest. But no, Catrina was dead. It couldn't be. The momentary hope was replaced with trepidation when she saw Catrina's body fall out of the now open door. She was still wrapped in the sheet, but it was no longer covering her head, which was now facedown on the ground. Her body was squirming, struggling to get free.

By now, everyone was running towards the scene, dropping whatever they'd been doing.

"Catrina!" Danni sprinted forward, getting there just as Sophie managed to roll Catrina over. "Oh my God."

"She's one of them!" Hannah stated in disbelief. "But how… she was dead! How is this possible?"

As they stood there, unable to comprehend how someone could come back from the dead, Catrina managed to wriggle free of the sheet. Immediately she was reaching for the nearest living person, Sophie, who jumped back with a shriek. The others moved back too, afraid.

"What do we do?" Alex asked, terror on his face.

"We could tie her up so she can't get us," Danni suggested. "They're bound to find a cure soon."

"A cure for something that can bring dead people back to life?" Megan asked skeptically.

"No, it's too dangerous to have her around," Skye said reluctantly, as they all continued to move backwards to avoid the crawling corpse of their friend. "If she gets loose…"

"Are you suggesting we kill her?!" demanded Danni. "I thought you people were her friends!"

"Catrina wouldn't want to be a monster," Hannah shook her head. "She'd hate to hurt anyone."

"She's not a monster! She's just sick!"

"She DIED _,_ Danni. Whatever she is now, she's not Catrina anymore."

"But -" Danni's protests were cut short when Megan grabbed a hatchet from beside the stack of firewood, and brought it down on the back of

Catrina's neck, severing the spine. Two more whacks and her head rolled free, still snapping her teeth at the air. Her body was still.

Danni screamed, and she wasn't the only one. "You bitch!"

Megan was pale and shaking, but looked Danni in the eye. "Look at her Danni! She's not human anymore! People can't fucking survive having their heads chopped off. LOOK AT HER!" she gestured at the head using the hatchet, spraying gore on the ground. "Catrina is gone. Something else remains." With that, she raised the hatchet for a final blow. It fell on the temple, with enough force to crack the skull. The head finally stopped biting at the air, the eyes no longer staring at the group with an unnatural hunger. It was over.

Danni stalked off, tears staining her cheeks. Hannah shared a look with Skye, then followed after her.

Megan threw down the hatchet and sat down a few feet away, burying her face in her hands. Tremors wracked her body as she started to sob. Skye started to go to her, but Luke beat her to it.

Instead, Skye went back over to the half finished grave and shovelled with renewed vigour. Mark rejoined her, and they dug in silence for a time.

"I'm never going to forget this if I live to be a hundred," Mark finally said.

"Me neither," Skye paused to wipe the beads of sweat forming on her forehead. "It just keeps playing over and over in my head, like an endless loop. If only I'd warned her over the phone. I just thought we'd have time after I picked her up. And it cost her life," she shook her head as tears finally began to fall. "If only I'd got to her sooner -"

"Then it might have been you who died instead," Mark said firmly. "Don't blame yourself Skye, blame this plague."

Skye began to cry harder. "And when Sophie called out 'she's alive', for a moment, I really believed it! I thought maybe I was wrong, Hannah was wrong. Maybe she was just unconscious this whole time."

Mark dropped his shovel and pulled her into his arms.

"And then I saw her wriggling on the ground there and I knew it wasn't her anymore. And I'm just so ANGRY! None of this makes sense. The dead walking? And eating the living? How DARE these assholes inhabit the bodies of dead friends, family? It's an abomination! Let the dead rest in peace. This… plague as you put it, can rot in hell!" Skye finally dropped her shovel and returned the embrace, sobbing into Mark's chest.

After a while she felt calmer and pulled away. She saw Mark had tears in his eyes too, and went on tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks for being there for my meltdown."

"Anytime," he tried to smile, bending down to pick up the discarded tools. "I'll finish up here if you want."

"No, I'll stay. We're almost done anyway."

They held a makeshift funeral an hour later. All nine gathered around to pay their respects. None of them were overly religious, but Catrina had been, so Hannah recited the Lord's Prayer. Sophie had gathered a bunch of wildflowers which she lay on Catrina's chest, her body having been once again wrapped in the sheet.

Skye noted how Danni was standing as far from Megan as possible, and frowned. But now wasn't the time to address it. Instead, she and Mark began the depressing task of filling the grave back in.

Dinner that night was a somber affair. Luke grilled some burgers, and Skye made a slaw, but everyone ate in silence, lost in their own grief.

Hannah and Alex took care of the washing up, while the others sat around the campfire just staring into the flames. Normally their camping trips were filled with joy and laughter, but no one could think of anything to laugh about tonight.

"Well, I'm going to bed," Mikaela stood. She and Sophie were sharing Catrina's tent, seeing as they didn't have one of their own.

Luke and Alex were sharing, and originally it was going to be Hannah and Skye in one tent, and Danni and Megan in another. But now Danni was pissed at Megan, and she'd asked Hannah to swap and share with her instead. That left Megan with Skye, and Mark had set up in the bed of his truck.

No one saw the point in staying up longer, so they doused the fire and called their goodnights.

Skye lay awake for a while, staring at the roof of the tent, unable to sleep. She hoped that this would be the end of the nightmare. But somehow she knew deep down, that this was just the start.

 **Author's Note:** First of all thanks for reading! This is my first ever fanfic, and also the first story I've written in over a decade that's longer than a page or two. If you have any helpful comments or critiques, please feel free to leave a review.

For reference, Skye and her friends lived in Charlottesville, Virginia. I'm not from the USA, nor have I visited (yet!) so if i get some details wrong I'm sorry. Anyway, hope you enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

**Part Four**

The next week went relatively smoothly. Mark and Alex built a sheltered cooking area by stretching a tarpaulin between several trees, and lashing it in place with rope. Under it they set up a table for the campstove and food preparation, as well as various camping chairs, and a log for those who didn't have a chair.

Danni still wasn't speaking to Megan, but as they avoided each other it wasn't an issue.

As they hadn't packed to go camping, Danni, Sophie and Mikaela were forced to borrow clothes and other items from the group. As yet, they weren't comfortable going through Catrina's belongings, using only her tent and bedding and leaving the rest untouched in the car. The three of them, borrowing Luke's car, had driven out of the forest the first morning to find cell reception so that they could call their parents and tell them about the change in plans. From this, they learned that they would likely never have made it to Washington anyway, as it was nearly completely overrun and the military were blocking the roads. Danni promised to watch out for her sisters, and they said a teary farewell to their mom and dad.

Everyone pitched in with camp chores, and with so many hands it left a lot of down time. On the third day Skye, Luke and Mark fished in the river for trout, catching enough for dinner that evening. Other days Skye spent relaxing with a book, hanging out with her friends and exploring the surrounding woods. It rained on Thursday, and the group huddled under a tarpaulin playing card games and reminiscing on old times.

Saturday morning, nearly a week after they left Charlottesville, Skye woke before dawn. She dressed as silently as possible and snuck out of the tent to avoid waking Megan. Mark was already waiting for her, and they walked together over to the kitchen area to get some breakfast.

"Where's Luke?" Skye asked in a low voice, stuffing a water bottle and some muesli bars into a small day pack, before pouring herself a bowl of cereal.

"Ummm, somewhere around here." Mark shot her a look. "I kicked him awake and he grumbled something about taking a piss before we left."

"Charming." Skye rolled her eyes.

Mark shrugged unapologetically. "We all do it."

"Right. We should leave a note for the others, let them know where we're heading," Skye suggested. Mark agreed, heading to the truck for pen and paper. Luke appeared in the grey morning light, winking at her as he sidled up.

"Where's lover boy?" he teased.

"Who, Mark? Don't be ridiculous." Skye pulled a face. "He's gone to write a note for the others. They should know where we're going, in case something happens."

"You think something's going to happen?" Luke asked. "Like, between us?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Yeah, I might get sick of you and hit you with an arrow!" Skye retorted.

"Well, that's not very nice. I think I'll stay behind, then."

"Oh no you don't, we need you for the heavy lifting!"

Mark came back, saying he left the note where the others would find it, and they set off into the forest.

...

Skye drew back an arrow, her hand coming back to her chin as she lined up the shot. Her quarry was about 50 feet away, feasting near a birch tree by the stream. She loosed, the string making a twang as the arrow flew, wriggling through the air towards the target. It went slightly wide, hitting the neck instead of the head, and a loud growl of pain was heard as it tried to run.

"Shit," Luke swore, following the target with his rifle and taking a shot. This one was fatal, dropping the deer to the forest floor, where it twitched a moment before going completely still.

"Good shot, that was close." Skye grimaced at her mistake.

"Hey, on the bright side I feel much safer in teasing you now, if the result is you trying to shoot me!" Luke laughed. Skye punched him in the arm and the three of them chortled as Luke rubbed the spot she hit. They moved down to grab the deer, Mark squatting to take the first turn carrying it back.

Skye could swear she heard a guttural growl like an angry animal from somewhere between the trees as Mark stood up. She motioned the others to stay still, but the sound didn't come again and they saw nothing moving.

"Just the wind?" Mark suggested.

"Yeah… maybe," Skye agreed reluctantly. "We should get back."

...

The atmosphere that night was lighter than it had been since Catrina's death. They all sat around the campfire, feasting on venison stew and camp bread that Megan had made. Danni even finally began to let go of her resentment, and complimented Megan on her cooking. The pair exchanged tentative smiles.

After dinner, they toasted marshmallows over the fire.

"Hey, look what I found!" Alex announced as he emerged from his tent holding a bottle of rum.

There were a few cheers, and everyone held out their cups to be filled. "To great friends!" Alex toasted, raising his mug in the air.

"To friends!" the group echoed, taking a swig.

Luke put his arm over Megan's shoulder, and she snuggled into him. Skye smiled at the pair, whose relationship was so on and off that she doubted even they knew when they were together or not. Though even when they were on a break they remained good friends.

"I remember the first time I drank alcohol," Mark spoke suddenly. "I was 15 and my parents had gone away overnight. I stole a bottle of whisky from the cabinet and shared it with my girlfriend of the time. Vicky was her name. I thought I was so clever and grown up. Well, that was until we both got so wasted that I puked all over my bedroom floor, and she passed out on the bed. My parents got home before I woke up the next morning, so I hadn't cleaned up yet and they found us sleeping on the bed together. Had a bitch of a hangover. Worst part was, she came from a really religious home and had snuck out to be with me. I was grounded for three months and she was forbidden from ever seeing me again. And to this day, I can't stand whisky."

There were a few laughs and some good natured teasing in response to Mark's confession, and the others began to relate a few stories from their formative years.

Hannah told of how she used to cover for her brother when he snuck out, by rolling up blankets into the shape of a body in the bed and using a stuffed animal to imitate his brown hair peeking out the top. "Never did get caught, either," she gloated.

"Remember that time we decided to cut each other's hair?" Sophie asked her twin. "We were what, eleven?"

Mikaela nodded, running her fingers absently through her long blonde hair. "Yeah. It was awful, really uneven and had big chunks shorter than the rest. Mom was so mad. And the hairdresser laughed when she saw us."

"Mom sent me a photo," Danni smirked. "You looked like you'd had a fight with a weed wacker and lost!"

Sophie blushed a little, and her twin threw a marshmallow at their older sister, who just laughed.

Alex was the next to offer a story. "As you know, I was raised by my grandparents. They emigrated from Japan shortly after the war. They adjusted pretty well to life in America, but there was one thing they could never be persuaded to do, and that was eat American food. Baba cooked every meal from scratch in the traditional Japanese way, and we never ate out. When I started school I tried junk food for the first time and I was hooked! I began buying chips and candy and hiding it in my tree house. Well, one day I woke up and the whole backyard was scattered with wrappers - raccoons found my stash and ate it all. I blamed it on the kids over the back fence, though I think they knew all along it was me. I got more creative with my hiding places after that." He gave a crooked grin. "I still have a junk food obsession, too. You may have noticed."

"I don't know where you put it all, man. If I ate like you do I'd be as big as a bus!" Luke shook his head at the smaller man.

"I reckon he wears a corset or something, to hold it all in," Megan joked.

"Nope, got abs and everything," Alex pulled up his tee shirt enough to bare his flat stomach. "See?"

"Where?!"

The group continued their teasing for a minute, but after a while the chatter began to die down into a comfortable silence. Skye stared into the flames as though they held all the answers, her mind on her father. She had realised by now that he was probably infected if the man who bit him was, which seemed more than likely. She hoped he was alright. Despite their differences, she loved him still.

"How about a song?" Sophie asked, eyes bright with alcohol. There was silence for a moment, then Megan began to sing.

' _Well it's nine o'clock on a Saturday,_

 _The regular crowd shuffles in,_

 _There's an old man sitting next to me,_

 _Making love to his tonic and gin…"_

One by one, the group joined in, and once that song was finished they moved onto others, getting progressively louder as the night went on.

Alex was rapping Without Me by Eminem, much to the amusement of the others. Hannah, a little drunk now, was rolling on the ground with laughter, and most of the others had the giggles too.

All of a sudden, Mikaela screamed and scrambled backwards, falling off the log she'd been sitting on. Everyone turned to see what had her so terrified, and saw what could only be described as a walking corpse shambling out of the trees towards them. It was an older male, partially decomposed, his right arm ending in a stump with a good length of bone sticking out from it and glowing bright in the firelight. His yellowing teeth were exposed in a permanent snarl, made all the more unnerving by the unnatural angle he tilted his head. His left ankle was clearly broken, twisted and dragging as he moved.

Panic ensued. Several of the girls turned to run, only to find more infected coming from the other direction. The guys went to grab whatever weapons they could find. Luke and Mark ran to the truck where their rifles were stored. Alex picked up Skye's bow from where it rested at the entrance to her tent, and fired an arrow at the first undead, missing it by a wide margin.

"Give it here!" Skye demanded, snatching her bow off him. "You'll hurt someone if you don't know how to use it." With that she shot a second arrow towards the same undead, hitting it directly between the eyes. It fell to the ground and stopped moving.

Skye turned to Alex. "My hunting knife is strapped to the side of my pack, use that!"

A shot rang out, closely followed by another. Skye grabbed her quivver and slung it over her shoulder, taking another arrow and putting it on the string. " **Everyone stay together!"** she yelled, firing another shot, this time into the heart of a female infected. The woman staggered under the impact, but snarled and kept coming.

"What the hell?" Skye wondered, knowing the shot should have been fatal. She fired again, this time hitting the throat. Still the creature kept coming. Fearful now, Skye didn't have time to draw a third arrow before the woman was on her. Skye ducked to the side, feeling the tips of the woman's fingers brush her arm as she twisted away. She turned to face the creature again, just in time to see Mark shoot it through the temple. " **Aim for their heads!"** he roared, reloading his rifle. Another infected approached him from behind, but Skye took it down with an arrow through the eye.

The next few minutes passed in a blur of confusion and desperation. Megan had got hold of the hatchet again and put it to good use, swinging desperately and cracking open the skulls of two undead. Alex struggled with an infected for a minute before falling backwards, somehow managing to get his knife up and stab it through the jaw of his attacker and into the brain. Danni, Hannah and the twins climbed on top of Mark's truck and huddled on the roof, frantically trying to keep away from the grasping hands reaching for them. Mark, Luke and Skye took down several undead with their rifles and bow, before the creatures got too close to shoot.

A bloodcurdling scream caused Skye to look over at the truck, just in time to see one of the twins get dragged over the far side. Dropping her bow, Skye picked up the heavy cast iron skillet and ran to help, finding Danni had jumped down and was desperately wrestling with one of the undead. Three other infected were feasting on her younger sister, who was still screaming in pain and terror, her cries growing weaker as her life faded. Skye raised the skillet high and smashed the nearest infected in the back of the head with its edge, feeling the skull give under the force of the blow.

Megan, who had followed a second after her, took out the infected snapping at Danni with a backhand blow of the hatchet into its face. Skye caved in the head of the next undead as it turned and growled at her. The final one was already getting to its feet and lunged at Danni. Megan went to shove it away with her left hand, but she miscalculated and her hand just pushed past his nose and slipped into his open mouth. She cried out as his teeth clamped shut on her wrist, but she managed to bring the hatchet down on his skull with her other hand.

Skye looked around for any more undead, but saw Luke bash the last one in the head with the butt of his rifle, making it crumple to the ground lifelessly.

Danni was kneeling by her little sister's body, cradling her mangled face in her lap. Sophie leapt off the truck and joined her, wailing in anguish. Hannah was the last to come down, first checking Mikaela for a pulse but finding none, then moving to inspect the bite on Megan's wrist.

"We have to clean it and bandage it," she told Megan, guiding her friend back to a seat by the fire, skirting the corpses and pools of blood in the way.

Skye felt suddenly weak as the adrenalin wore off, and she began to shake, staring at the carnage around her. She collapsed into a sitting position, looking off into the distance, not really seeing anything at all. Dimly she was aware of the others talking and moving around her, and then someone asking if she was ok, but she was too far out of herself to respond.

"I think she's going into shock!" Mark called out, scooping her into his arms and carrying her over to the fire.

Hannah had just finished cleaning Megan's wound. "Lay her down over there, and put something under her feet to keep them raised," she directed as she opened a sterile bandage.

Mark did as he was instructed, finding a pack in the nearest tent and using it to elevate her feet.

"Cover her with a blanket," Hannah called. "She needs to be kept warm." A blanket was found and tucked around her.

Luke carried Mikaela's body over to the group, laying her gently beside the fire. Danni and Sophie followed behind him, clinging to each other as their tears fell freely.

"Someone needs to destroy her head before she turns," Megan said, causing the grieving sisters to sob harder. "It happened to Catrina; it'll probably happen to Mikaela as well."

No one spoke. No one wanted to be the one to do it.

"Alright then, I'll do it," Megan volunteered reluctantly.

"You don't have to," Luke told her. "I could -"

"No. I'll do it," she said more firmly. "I'm probably dead anyway, so I'll only have to live with it for a short time. And the blame can fall on me."

"You're not dead yet! And we don't know for sure if you're infected - maybe not everyone who gets bit turns?" Luke suggested.

"Perhaps. I guess we'll find out soon enough."


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** _I just want to say thanks to_ _Danniey365_ _and_ _elljayde_ _for the positive reviews! It's great to know someone is enjoying this story as much as I am. So this chapter is for you both, I hope you like it!_

 **Part Five**

Elliot was awakened by a sharp kick to the ribs. He groaned and sat up, wiping the sleep from his eyes with one hand. "What was that for?" he complained, rubbing his side.

"TJ spotted a herd coming this way, they'll be here any minute. Grab your shit and let's bounce," Sam was already on his way out the door, his pack slung over one shoulder and their box of food in his arms.

Elliot leaped to his feet with a curse. He yanked the zipper on his duffle open and stuffed his blanket inside, not bothering to close it again. His pistol was already loaded, lying next to his makeshift bed. He picked it up and quickly glanced around the darkened room, trying to determine that nothing important had been left. Seeing nothing worth stopping for, he raced out to the pickup, threw his bag in the back and clambered up after it.

The engine was already running, and Elliot could make out the silhouettes of both Sam and TJ in the cab. He held on to the side as the truck lurched into gear, bumped over the curb and onto the street.

Electricity had gone out three days ago, but the half moon provided enough light to see the herd emerging from behind the abandoned gas station Elliot, Sam and TJ had stopped at for the night. Elliot gripped his pistol tighter and stared at the shadowed forms until the truck turned a corner and left the small town behind.

…

The night dragged on. No one could sleep after the attack, and they huddled around the fire, fearfully eyeing the forest and jumping at the slightest noise.

Megan had borrowed a knife and stabbed through Mikaela's head before disappearing into her tent for a while. Muffled sobs came from within, and Luke went to comfort her.

Sophie was inconsolable, sitting by the remains of her twin, who was now wrapped in a blanket. Danni sat with her, stroking her sister's hair and trying to hold herself together, though tears still ran down her cheeks.

Skye had slowly snapped out of her stupor, and now she, Alex, Mark and Hannah spoke in low voices, trying to come up with a plan. It was clear the forest was no longer a safe place to stay. But they were having difficulty coming up with an alternative, especially as they had no idea just how bad the world outside had become.

"We need to go out there, find out what's going on. Maybe the epidemic is on its way out and these were just stragglers who wandered off before they could be cured?" Hannah suggested.

Skye looked skeptical, but she agreed they needed to get some outside news.

"We could fortify the camp," Alex suggested. "Maybe get some wire and wrap it around the trees to make a perimeter fence. The biters didn't seem that smart; it should stop them."

"Biters? Seems accurate, and a lot more succinct than 'infected'," Skye gave a small grimace. "As for fortifying the camp, we'd need to go get materials, and more supplies soon too. It might work, but we'll ask the others what they think in the morning."

They sat in silence for a while, thinking things over. Around 2am, Luke emerged from Megan's tent and hurried over to Hannah. "She's running a fever, can you come take a look?"

The group exchanged worried glances as Hannah stood. "Of course, I'll just grab the first aid kit." She hurried to fetch the kit, and then followed Luke into the tent.

She reappeared some time later, a frown clouding her features. "It's not good, she's got a high fever and she's hallucinating. She needs stronger medication than we have here."

"The hospital was overrun. Could a regular medical clinic provide the care she needs?" Skye asked.

"Maybe... certainly better than we could here." Hannah shrugged. "I think there's a clinic in Crozet. It's close and not as populated - we should go there at first light."

"Alright. Luke and I will take her," Skye decided. "Alex, Mark, we're going to need another grave." She looked over at Mikaela. "Danni and Sophie will need someone to keep an eye on them too, while they grieve."

"I'll come with you, to keep Megan comfortable," said Hannah.

Skye nodded.

"I don't like us all being split up," interjected Mark. "Surely it's safer if we stick together? What if something happens while you're away?"

"If it's just one or two biters, I'm sure you and Alex can handle it. If it's a big group like before, get in the cars and leave."

"And go where? We need a meeting point so you can find us again," Mark pressed.

Skye thought for a moment. "We should be back by the evening, or tomorrow at the latest. If you need to abandon camp before then, for whatever reason, go and park up at that post office in White Hall. We'll need to drive past there on the way back anyway, so we'll keep an eye out for you. It's quiet enough that you shouldn't have any problems, and if the store is open you can restock some supplies too."

Mark still wasn't happy. "And what about you? What if the whole town is infected and the four of you get into trouble out there?"

"Luke and I are both good shots, and Megan's a fighter too, though she's probably too sick at the moment to be much help." Hannah nodded in agreement at this. "We'll all carry weapons - actually I think everyone should be armed at all times until this pandemic is over."

The others saw the sense in this. They still had their weapons within reach, and both rifles were loaded.

Getting back to the topic at hand, Skye sighed. "Look, I'm not stupid. We'll scout the town first to get a feel of it. If it seems overrun with biters we'll leave and figure something else out. But we need to try. I don't want to lose another friend."

No one could argue with that, and so the plan was settled.

…

As soon as the sky began to lighten, Alex and Mark began to dig a second grave, next to Catrina's. The morning was overcast, befitting the somber mood.

Skye gathered food and water for the trip, making a note of the things they were growing low on in case she got the chance to stock up. Her quiver was full once again, after retrieving and cleaning the arrows she'd loosed the night before. It hung from her shoulder, and her hunting knife was strapped to her belt. Her bow leaned against the table within easy reach.

Luke carried Megan out of the tent and over to his car, buckling her into the backseat. Hannah followed, carrying enough medical supplies to last them the day. After a quick check to make sure Megan was ok, they both wandered off to do a few last minute things.

Danni approached the car, her eyes dry now though they were still red rimmed and puffy, and her heart was still heavy with loss. She opened the door and looked down at Megan, shocked by how drawn and pale the normally vivacious brunette had become in such a short space of time.

"Megan?" she called tentatively. Fevered brown eyes met her own. "I'm sorry I was such a bitch to you all week. I knew you were right about Catrina being gone, I just wasn't ready to accept it. She was my best friend." Fresh tears were threatening now. She continued in a softer tone. "I loved her, you know. I never told her; I knew she didn't love me the same. But I wish I'd told her, just once."

Megan reached out and grasped her wrist. "She knew. And I'm sorry too, about Catrina and Mikaela. It really sucks. How's Sophie holding up?"

"Not too good, they've never been apart before. I don't know how she's gonna cope. But I'll be there for her," she said fiercely. "I'll keep her safe."

"I know you will," Megan tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace. Her whole body ached and every movement was an agony she desperately tried to hide from the others, wanting to spare them the guilt and frustration of not being able to do anything to ease it.

"I wanted to thank you too, for saving me. It's my fault you got bit and I'm so sorry."

"Hey, it's ok. That's what friends do, right? Look out for each other."

Danni tried to protest but Megan stopped her with a raised hand. "Even knowing the outcome, I'd do it all over again. For any of you."

"Even if…" Danni trailed off, not wanting to voice the growing fear within the group.

"Even if I die? Yeah. Even then it was worth it. I know my life had a purpose, beyond waiting tables. Just promise me you'll do something worthwhile with yours."

"I - I promise." The tears were falling freely again now.

Skye, Luke and Hannah were approaching the car, ready to head out.

"Looks like we're off," Megan sighed. "See you on the flip side, yeah?"

Danni leaned down and embraced her. "Yeah. See you when you get back."

…

Crozet was a ghost town. Rubbish littered the streets, occasionally stirring in the breeze. Car doors were left open, long abandoned. Dried bloodstains darkened the pavement, and Skye saw a severed leg under a park bench as they drove slowly into the town centre.

They found the clinic without much difficulty, and stopped the car in front of the building. Luke switched the engine off and the three of them stared at the front door. The glass was shattered from the inside out, as though something large had been thrown through it. An ominous dark stain coloured the broken shards, suggesting maybe a someone, rather than a something.

"It doesn't look promising," Skye frowned.

"We gotta try though," Luke twisted in his seat to look at Megan, who was sleeping fitfully.

Skye took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. "Yeah. You and I will go in, see what's inside. Hannah, come sit behind the wheel in case we need to make a quick getaway." She got out of the car, drawing her knife and fingering it anxiously as she waited for Luke to join her.

Together they crept towards the entrance. Skye's heart was pounding so hard she was surprised she couldn't hear it.

Luke paused at the door, peering into the poorly lit depths with his rifle raised. Seeing no movement inside he continued in, shards of glass crunching beneath his boots. Skye followed close on his heels.

The place was deserted and looked as though it had been ransacked. All the cupboards were open and empty, some showing signs of forced entry. They searched every room but found no one, living or undead. Skye picked up the phone on the reception desk and frowned when there was no dial tone. She moved over to a light switch and flicked it on, but nothing happened.

"I'm starting to feel like we're the last people on Earth. The cell towers are down," she said. They'd tried using their cell phones several times during the drive. "There's no power or phone here, and no people to be seen in town. It's pretty spooky."

"We can't be the last," Luke shook his head, unable to believe it. "People are probably just hiding until the plague is over."

"You're probably right," Skye sighed, then shrugged. "Since we're here we should check for anything useful - meds, bandages et cetera."

They searched all the drawers and cupboards, but there wasn't even a sticking plaster to be found.

"God dammit!" Luke growled, punching the wall and leaving a sizeable hole. He stared at it a few moments, breathing heavily. "There's got to be somewhere else we can try. A pharmacy. Another town with a clinic that's still open."

Skye put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find something. Let's go."

Luke followed her back to the car, flexing his fingers.

Hannah got out of the car as they approached. She must have seen the disappointment on their faces. "No luck?"

"Nah, nobody home."

"What about medicine? I know which ones we need; we could try break into the cabinets."

Skye shook her head. "Someone beat us to it. The place has been stripped clean."

"Shit. What now then?"

Skye looked through the window at the still sleeping Megan. "Way I see it, we have two choices. We can head west over the mountains and look for a clinic in Waynesboro. Or we can return to Charlottesville. There are other medical centres there that may still have what we need, besides the hospital. And we'd have the advantage of being in familiar territory."

"Charlottesville seems the better option to me," Hannah frowned. "I know where at least one med centre is, and a couple of pharmacies. There were a lot of the biters when we left though."

"It'll be risky, but I think it's better than searching in an unfamiliar city. Or admitting defeat and returning to the others."

"We're not giving up!" Luke glared at the two women.

"No, we're not. Now get in, we're wasting daylight. I'll drive." Skye climbed in behind the wheel and started the engine.

It began to rain during the trip, a light sprinkle that turned into a steady drizzle. They saw a few scattered biters along the trip, wandering aimlessly along the side of the road until the car came into view. Skye swerved to avoid one that stepped in front of the car, and tightened her grip on the wheel. A little further down the road she saw two biters on someone's lawn, tearing into an unidentifiable kill.

They arrived in the city safely, and kept to the suburbs as Hannah gave directions to the clinic. Several times they had to backtrack and find a different route when the road became impassable due to road blocks, traffic jams or debris. The number of infected increased as they drove on, until they were forced to stop completely. At least thirty biters - men, women and children, all covered in gore - blocked the road ahead, growling as they approached. More were closing in behind, attracted to the sound of the vehicle.

"Hold on," Skye said grimly as she put the car into reverse. There was a thud against the back of the car and then a bump as she hit one biter who got in the way, knocking it under the wheels. She stopped and put the car back in gear, turning hard to climb onto the curb, across a lawn and behind a large weatherboard house. There were no fences, and she was able to drive through several backyards before rejoining the road nearly a block down.

"There are so many now," said a white faced Hannah. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to come into the city."

"Too late now," Skye replied. "How much further?"

"About three streets, turn left at the next intersection."

"I hope there aren't any more roadblocks." Skye glanced in the rearview mirror at Megan, who had begun to stir and now muttered incomprehensibly.

Time was running out.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part Six**

Alex dropped the shovel on the ground and reached for his water bottle. "I hope I never have to dig another grave again," he shook his head before taking a swig. They'd just finished digging a hole for Mikaela.

"Me too," Mark leaned back on a tree and wiped his face with an old bandana.

Danni walked over, bringing them tuna salad sandwiches for lunch, which they accepted gratefully. "Bread's a little stale, sorry."

"How's Sophie doing?" Mark asked before taking a bite.

"She's asleep, finally. She's not doing very well, but I guess that's to be expected. They've never been apart before," Danni shrugged helplessly.

"And how are you holding up?"

"I don't think it's quite sunk in yet. I mean, I _know_ she's gone. But I still keep expecting her to walk around the corner with Soph, laughing together at some private joke." Tears began to form in her eyes and she brushed them away, taking a moment to compose herself. "What are we going to do with the other bodies?"

"Hadn't really thought about it yet. Guess we should move them away from the campsite, at least."

"We should bury them," Danni looked down, an unreadable expression on her face.

"That would take days - did you see how many there are?" Mark shook his head. "We'd be better off loading them up in the back of the pickup and dumping them somewhere down the road."

"Seventeen," replied Danni. She looked over at the covered form of Mikaela. "They were human once. They deserve better than being dumped somewhere."

Mark ran a hand through his thick brown hair. "It'd take too long to do individual graves, but you're right. We could put them all in one large hole, that would be more practical."

Alex sighed. "Guess we'd better get started then." He picked up his shovel and looked around, then pointed to a spot a little further from the camp. "If we do it there it's already a bit of a hollow. Less digging."

"Good thinking," Mark took a last long draught from his water bottle and followed Alex to the site.

Danni went to find another shovel and joined them.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mark asked, pausing to look at her. "Alex and I can handle it."

Danni shrugged. "I - I just need to do _something._ I want to hit something, but digging is probably more productive."

"Go ahead then," Mark moved over to give her some room.

Danni attacked the ground with an aggression that caused Alex and Mark to raise their eyebrows at her. She didn't notice, focused on the task at hand.

Shrugging, the men went back to work.

…

"Well that was a bust," Skye sighed in frustration. There had been a large group of biters in the clinic parking lot, too many to consider trying to break through. Not that the building looked like it was staffed anyway.

"There's a pharmacy a few blocks along," Hannah offered, though she seemed discouraged.

"Worth a shot."

The drug store parking lot was empty but for three biters lurking by the dumpster.

"We could take that many," Skye suggested, idling the car on the street.

"Alright then, let's do it," Luke was eager to finally do something to help Megan.

"Same deal as before, Luke and I will go in, and if it's safe we'll come get you so you can find the right medication. Take over the wheel in the meantime, just in case," Skye turned off the ignition and grabbed her bow.

"I guess I'll just wait here then?" Megan croaked, smirking and cracking her eyes open a fraction.

"Take it easy, champ. We'll be back with the stuff before you know it," Skye turned to smile at her, noting how much further she'd deteriorated in just the last few hours. Her face was drawn and glistening with sweat, and large dark circles had appeared under her eyes. She trembled, curled around the bucket she'd emptied her stomach into many times.

Luke leaned over and kissed Megan's forehead, then went to grab his rifle.

"Here, take this," Megan mustered the effort to pick up her hatchet off the floor and pass it to him. "Probably best not to be too loud."

"She's right," Skye agreed. "Take your gun but don't use it unless you have to. We don't want to attract attention."

Luke nodded and accepted the weapon. "See you soon, babe."

"Be safe," Megan murmured, sinking back into the seat with her eyes shut.

Skye was already out of the vehicle and aiming an arrow at a female biter. She let it fly, and watched as it dropped its target to the ground. The other two had noticed them now, and growled hungrily. Skye nocked another arrow and again hit the mark, leaving Luke to deal with the final foe.

He strode forward purposefully, ducking under the outstretched arms and smashing the hatchet down into the older male's skull. He paused only long enough to make sure it was dead, then continued on to the front door.

Skye jogged to catch up.

"Locked," Luke said as though it were a swear word.

Skye peered into the poorly lit store. "It doesn't look like this place has been looted yet. I hate to say it, but it's an emergency; we have to smash the glass. If we get arrested, so be it."

Luke didn't need to be told twice. He swung the hatchet in a powerful arc, smacking the glass with the more solid back. It bounced off, leaving barely a mark, and Luke swore as his arm ached with the reverberations. "Fuck!"

"Have you got your tools in the car? A crowbar maybe?"

"Yeah, in the trunk somewhere."

"Get it, we might be able to pry the back door open or something."

Luke nodded and ran to the car, returning a minute later with the crowbar.

Together they searched for another entrance, and found a grey metal door on the other side of the building. There was just enough space to wedge the bar between the door and the jamb, and Luke grunted with the effort it took to force it open. A loud crack sounded as it gave way. They both glanced around nervously, making sure the noise hadn't attracted any unwanted attention.

"No alarm," Skye noted, holding her knife at the ready.

Luke flipped a light switch near the door. "No power."

The room was obviously used for storage, with stacks of brown cardboard boxes piled high on either side. The only light came from the door they'd just opened, and it illuminated the room just enough to reveal a second door across the room. Skye tried the handle, and let out a sigh of relief when it opened easily.

Luke entered first and scanned the store, alert for any sign they weren't alone. He cautiously ventured further in, and Skye checked behind the counter for biters or bodies. She spied a trail of blood leading to a closed door behind the desk and moved to follow it. The slight rattle of the door as she turned the handle was enough to disturb the creature behind it, and the biter growled as it pushed through the widening gap. Skye stumbled back, stabbing wildly at the decaying face of the former employee. The knife left a gash in the woman's cheek, but had no effect on the biter's attack. Before she could try again, Skye found herself pushed up against the counter and fighting desperately to gain the upper hand.

Suddenly there was a thud and a spray of blood, and Luke was there, pulling her back upright.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks." Skye looked down at the crumpled form at their feet. "She just caught me off guard."

"The rest of the store is clear, let's go get Hannah so she can find what we need."

Skye stooped down and rummaged in the corpse's pockets.

"What are you doing?" Luke asked.

"Looking for the keys. Be easier to just unlock the front door, don't you think?"

Luke grunted in agreement, and went to search the drawers under the till. A few moments later he held up a sizeable bunch of keys in triumph. "Got 'em."

They tried several before finding the right one, and pushed the doors open. Skye waved at Hannah, who started the car and drove it across the parking lot to them.

Luke sat in the car with Megan, and Skye stood guard while Hannah searched for the meds.

"How's she holding up?" Skye asked, keeping an eye out for movement.

"Honestly?" Hannah glanced towards the car. "Unless we get her to a hospital, I don't know if we can save her. I'm out of my depth on this one."

"Do you think we should try for another hospital then?"

Hannah sighed, rubbing a hand across her face. "I'd like to say yes - I really would. I want to save her. But I just don't think we can go haring off on such a risky trip when there's no guarantee that the next hospital hasn't gone the same way as the one here." She shrugged helplessly. "You saw how many biters there were on the roads. It's too dangerous to go far."

Skye wanted to disagree, but knew her friend was right. "Luke isn't going to like this."

"I don't like this either. But I don't see any alternatives. I'll do what I can for her, but it's up to her to fight it." Hannah held up her bag, now full of little pill bottles. "I've got everything I can think of that might help, let's go."

"Hang on, I'm just going to lock up. Feel kinda bad about the breaking and entering, don't want to leave it open for just anyone to walk in."

"Ok, but make it quick," Hannah said as she hurried out to the car.

Skye went back to the rear entrance and closed the door they'd forced open. It wouldn't latch properly, and she looked for something heavy to prop against it.

"Need a hand?" Skye jumped and spun around at the voice, having not heard Luke come in.

"Shit, man! Nearly gave me a heart attack," Skye put one hand on her chest and took a deep breath. She nodded over to a stack of boxes. "I was just gonna stack a bunch of them in front to prevent it being pushed open. You can help me shift them."

Together they quickly barricaded the door and headed back to the car, locking the front door behind them. Not knowing what to do with the keys, Skye put them in her pocket to worry about later.

Hannah was leaning into the back, giving Megan a drink of water to wash down the medication.

"Hey babe," Luke climbed in next to his girlfriend and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Hey yourself," she managed a tiny smile.

"Feeling any better?" he asked hopefully.

Megan snorted. "Not really, but give the meds a chance to work, ok?"

Luke tried to hide his disappointment. "Sure thing. You're going to beat this, I know it. Now, get some sleep, I'll be right here." Megan sighed and put her head on his shoulder.

Skye started the engine and pulled out of the lot, beginning the drive back to the camp.

…

"Pull over!" Luke shouted, startling Skye into slamming on the brakes.

"Why? What's happening?" she asked, skidding a little as she pulled onto the verge.

"I don't think she's breathing!" A note of hysteria had entered his voice, and immediately the car stopped Hannah leapt out, opened the rear door and checked Megan for a pulse.

Everyone held their breath as they waited for her pronouncement.

"I can't find a pulse," Hannah said, barely holding onto her practiced nurse's calm. "Get her out of here, I'm going to try CPR."

Luke scrambled out of the car and lifted Megan out after him. She flopped like a ragdoll in his arms. He lay her gently on the grass by the side of the road, then leaned back on his heels while Hannah tried to bring her back.

"C'mon Meg, don't go!" he murmured, holding her hand. He stared intently at her face, as if he could keep her alive by the sheer force of his will.

Skye watched from the sidelines, biting her lip nervously and silently praying to whomever might be listening.

"She's moving!" Luke yelled.

Hannah paused her ministrations to check for a pulse again. "Still noth….eeeeeeeeeek!" she shrieked as Megan grabbed her arm and groaned.

"Don't let me... become..." Megan whispered faintly, the final word stalling in her mouth as she closed her eyes. She breathed out with a small rattle in her throat, and didn't inhale again.

"Megan! Stay with me, baby!" Luke pleaded, gripping tightly to her hand and holding it against his chest.

Hannah put a hand on his arm. "Luke," she said gently. "She's gone."

"No!" he shouted. "She can't - I won't let her. Oh God, no!" he broke down into loud wracking sobs, bent over Megan's body.

"We need to make sure she doesn't turn," Skye brushed tears out of her eyes and began to move back to the car to grab a weapon.

"Not yet! Just - just give me a few minutes. Please," Luke managed to choke out.

"Ok," Skye knelt down beside him and brushed a few strands of hair away from Megan's face.

They stayed there for several minutes, each lost to their own grief.

Hannah looked up in time to see one of Megan's hands twitch. "Shit! I think she's turning!" Hannah scrambled backwards, landing on her arse on the asphalt.

Luke leaned back to look at Megan, and yelled with fright when she opened her eyes. She growled and grabbed for his face, but missed by a hair's breadth as he dodged to the side.

He jumped to his feet and backed away, holding out his hands as if to ward her off.

Skye ran for the front seat of the car. She grabbed her knife, looking up to see Hannah and Luke on the other side of the road and Megan shambling towards them. They watched her with horrified expressions, paralysed.

"Hang on, I got the knife!" Skye called out, moving around the vehicle.

Megan turned at the sound of Skye's voice and took a step towards her with a growl. The next step never came; at that very moment a red pickup came barrelling through and slammed into her, dragging Megan under the wheels. Her legs came out the other end separated from the rest of her, but Megan didn't even seem to notice. She clawed at the ground, pulling herself across the blacktop with her arms, eyes still locked on Skye. Then the truck was back, reversing up and over her head. The skull made a sound like a dropped watermelon as it caved inward, and Megan stopped moving.

The truck stopped and the driver got out, grinning. "You're welcome ladies," he drawled, winking at Hannah.


End file.
